KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A southwestern Missouri health system announced it will require all staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
CoxHealth President and CEO Steve Edwards said the FDA's full approval of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine prompted the move.
Edwards said all staff must receive their first dose of the vaccine by Oct. 15.
Medical and religious exemptions will be carefully considered, Edwards said, but anyone with an exemption will be required to take COVID-19 tests "to assure patient safety."
In Kansas City, Truman Medical Centers/University Health requires staff to be vaccinated.
Leaders made that call last month when 70% of its staff was already inoculated.
In central Missouri, the University of Missouri Health Care System is requiring its employees to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 1.
With full FDA vaccine approval, CoxHealth announces universal vaccine requirements for all staff. First dose by 10/15.
— Steve Edwards (@SDECoxHealth) August 23, 2021
Careful consideration will be given to allow medical and religious exemptions. To assure the patient safety, anyone with an exemption will be required to test.
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